Haley slung Brooke's bedroom door open and stormed in. Her friend was sitting cross legged on her bed studying and didn't even look up from her textbook when Haley flopped herself down onto the opposite side with a sigh. Haley waited a minute or so, and when Brooke still didn't look up, she sighed again, this time more dramatically.

Brooke looked up. "So, how was studying?" she asked in a tone of voice that let Haley know she was bothered.

"I wasn't studying," Haley confessed to her friend.

Brooke smiled calculatingly. "A hot make out session with the other Scott brother?" she asked conspiratorially.

Haley shook her head. "Not exactly."

"Did you guys have a fight?"

"What? No, Brooke, we didn't have a fight. I wasn't with Nathan."

Brooke pursed her lips. "Who were you with?" she inquired.

Haley sighed. "Chris."

Brooke nodded slowly. "Why did you lie to me?" she asked softly.

Haley covered her eyes with a hand. "Oh, I don't know!" she said. "Because I don't want anyone to misconstrue things and think that I want to go on tour with him."

"Do you?" Brooke asked pointedly.

Haley lifted herself up onto her elbows. "No," she said firmly. "I don't."

Brooke shrugged. "Then why the lie?"

"I just told you," Haley said frustrated.

Brooke closed her textbook and put it on the floor. "Did you lie to Nathan, too?"

"No. Nathan doesn't even know that I was going to see Chris. I didn't tell him," she told Brooke, then looked away.

Brooke tilted her head to the side and studied Haley's face. "A lie of omission is still a lie, Haley James. It's just a lie with a fancy name." When Haley didn't say anything, Brooke continued. "I thought you were the voice of reason for today," she reminded her friend.

"Only about sex," Haley said with a pout. "I've reached my reasonable quota for the day. I'm passing the torch on to you."

Brooke laughed. "Lord help you if that's true," she said in a teasing tone.

Haley laughed and then sighed. "Why didn't I tell Nathan, Brooke?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. All of my instincts are pointing to guilt. Do you feel guilty about something?"

"I don't think so," Haley said evasively.

"Haley," Brooke said knowingly.

Haley looked at her friend, as if she were deciding whether or not she could trust her. This is silly, Haley thought. Of course I can trust Brooke. "Truth time?"

Brooke nodded. "Truth time," she confirmed.

"I'm not interested in going on tour. I mean—I've put off public speaking until this year because I could hardly stand the thought of it. And just as I suspected, I could barely get up in front of the class to give my speeches." There was a short pause. "And I don't think I could be away from Nathan and Maddie for that long."

"So don't go on tour."

"But part of me wonders, if I could get past that, if I could conquer this fear of getting up in front of people, then how amazing would it be to get up on that stage and sing my heart out?"

Brooke nodded. "Do you think you could do that?"

Haley laughed. "Not even in a million years. But I do feel guilty."

"Why?" Brooke asked, confused.

"Because I feel like my main reason for wanting to stay should be for Nathan. And for Maddie."

"Well, can't it be for both? I mean—who says it can only be for one of those reasons?"

Haley shrugged.

"If you ask me, you're feeling guilty for nothing. Well, except about the whole meeting with Chris and not telling Nathan thing. That was definitely not your smartest move ever." Brooke nudged her. "But it's not too late to tell him," she said to her friend.

Haley sighed and stood up. "Tomorrow," she said. "I'll tell him tomorrow." She sighed again. "I have to go study. Thanks for the chat, Brooke."

Brooke smiled at her friend. "You're welcome."

777

"There's something I want to tell you," Jake said softly.

Peyton sighed. "No! No pillow talk, Jake. It's time for you to go." She rolled out of bed and grabbed her robe, quickly pulling it on and tying it around her waist.

"But I'm not done cuddling," he said seductively.

"Then you'll have to cuddle…with yourself," she told him, leaving the room.

Peyton walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She grabbed the teakettle off the stove and filled it with water, then put it back and turned the burner on. She was looking through the cupboards for her decaffeinated tea when she heard the front door open.

"Where's my favorite daughter?" she heard her father say from the front door.

She spun around, her eyes widening. "Daddy?" she said, with a hint of panic in her voice.

Larry Sawyer was so excited to see his daughter that he didn't even notice. He followed her voice into the kitchen and walked up to her, enveloping her in a crushing hug. "How's my baby?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, Daddy," she said breathlessly as he let go of her and pulled away. Her eyes quickly darted to the door of the kitchen making sure Jake was nowhere to be found.

Her father placed a hand on her belly. "And how's my baby's baby?" he asked.

"Oh, he's fine, too," she said hastily.

Larry looked into his daughters face. "God, Peyton, you're absolutely glowing. I don't think I've ever seen you look so beautiful," he told her.

Of course you haven't, she thought. Because you never seen me right after I've had sex! Peyton could feel her cheeks pinkening and started for the door. "Well, I—"

"Peyton," her father interrupted her. "You are not leaving this room. I haven't seen you in months! Tell me about California."

"Well, it was—"

Peyton heard Jake's footsteps on the stairs followed by his bellowing voice. "Peyton Sawyer! If you think I'm going to just let you use me for sex, you are sorely mistaken!"

Peyton's cheeks were no longer pink. They turned ten shades of red just as Jake walked into the kitchen in her other bathrobe, pink satin with a white frilly collar. Jake cleared his throat and tightened the belt on the robe. "Oh, hello, Larry."

Larry lifted an eyebrow at him. "You can call me Mr. Sawyer, Jake," he said with an amused gleam in his eyes.

Jake nodded at him. "Mr. Sawyer," he said nervously.

"Trying to knock my daughter up again, Jake?" Larry asked dryly.

Jake grinned lopsidedly. "You can call me Mr. Jagielski," he joked.

Peyton's eyes widened and flew to Jake. She gave her head a single imperceptible shake back and forth.

"Not funny, Jake," Larry said.

"No, it wasn't," he admitted.

"Well, I'll tell you what. I wanted to take my baby girl here out to eat since you drove her away and I haven't seen her for months, so why don't you join us?" he asked.

"Oh, that's not necessary," Jake said.

"I think it is," Larry said firmly.

"OK," Jake quickly agreed, willing to do anything to get himself back on Peyton's fathers' good side. He had a feeling it was going to be a long road.

"So, why don't you two go shower? Separately, of course, and I'll just get my things unpacked," he said, leaving the room.

Neither Jake nor Peyton said a word as they heard her father ascend the stairs. When they finally heard his bedroom door close, Jake finally spoke.

"I am so sorry," Jake said urgently. "I had no idea your father had come home!"

He heard Peyton start to breathe heavily.

"Peyton, you OK?" he asked.

Her breathing increased, and Jake was getting nervous. "Peyton?" he said again.

"Getting caught was hot!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Jake asked, his voice rising.

"You heard me," she said, taking slow, deliberate steps towards him.

He looked from side to side, as if plotting looking for an escape route. "Peyton!" he said in a scolding voice.

"Oh, come on," she said. "You know it was hot."

He gave in and grinned. "It was a little hot," he admitted.

She took another step closer and he held up his hands.

"No!" he said, shaking his head. "No way! Your father is still pissed at me for breaking his little girls' heart."

Peyton shrugged. "So am I. But I ended up in bed with you," she reminded him, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing herself up against him.

He growled, then leaned down and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. A minute later, he pulled away. "No," he said raggedly. "Your father would kill me."

Peyton shrugged. "Your loss," she said, exiting the room. Sighing, Jake followed her.

777

Lucas sighed. "Damn! That's five in a row I've lost!" he said, throwing his controller down onto the coffee table. He grabbed his bottle of beer off the couch and sat back, taking a big drink.

Nathan grinned and put his paddle down, too. He sat back. "I can't believe this semester is almost over," he said.

"Forget about that! I still can't believe Jake knocked Peyton up," Lucas said.

Nathan laughed. "Fate is really weird."

"Fate?" Lucas asked skeptically.

Nathan shrugged. "Yeah, fate. Don't you think that Peyton and Jake are meant to be together?"

"At one time, I thought Peyton and I were meant to be together," he admitted with a grin.

Nathan laughed. "We've all been there," he said sarcastically.

Luke nodded. "So, there's something I want to ask you," he said carefully.

"What's that?" Nathan asked, taking a drink of his own beer.

"Brooke and I talked, and we're moving the wedding up to this summer. Actually, it's gonna be a week after our last final so she'll have enough time to put on the finished touches and junk like that."

Nathan laughed. "And junk like that? Don't let her hear you say that," he warned.

Luke grinned. "Right," he agreed. "Anyway…I want you to be my best man, Nate."

Nathan cleared his throat, overcome with feeling. There had been a time when he and his brother had been enemies, but those days were long gone. Lucas wasn't just Nathan's brother anymore, he was his best friend. "I'd be honored, man," he said sincerely, trying to sound masculine despite the emotions whirling about him.

"Thanks, little brother," was all Lucas said.